IEVA VAITI


sound, art, technology








SOIL
SOIL is an immersive installation that explores the patterns and shifts present in natural systems over time. By translating 30 years of soil nutrient data from across the UK into light and sound, the work seeks to reveal subtle environmental changes that are often difficult to perceive through raw data alone. Through this sensory interpretation, the installation highlights the imbalances emerging within our ecosystems and invites audiences to reflect on the broader environmental processes that shape the land.

The installation takes the form of a suspended grid of resin spheres, each illuminated to represent different soil nutrients. These visual signals are accompanied by a rhythmic soundscape that responds directly to the data being displayed. As the installation cycles through three decades of soil nutrient records (1990–2021), fluctuations in nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium are translated into shifts in both light intensity and sonic rhythm.

When nutrient levels are balanced, the soundscape remains steady and harmonious. However, when imbalances occur, the audio begins to drift out of sync and become subtly detuned. Individual sonic layers speed up or slow down in response to the data for each nutrient, creating moments of tension, disruption, and eventual realignment. In this way, the installation renders otherwise imperceptible environmental variations into a dynamic interplay of order and chaos.

Designed to be both visually compelling and aurally immersive, SOIL encourages visitors to consider the long-term impact of intensive agricultural practices on soil health. By transforming scientific data into an experiential environment, the work invites reflection on the fragile balance within natural systems and the role human activity plays in shaping them.

Exhibited at: St James Hatchams 2024








Materials: Resin, Wire, Wooden Frame
Tools: Arduino, Max MSP, Ableton, Python

Data taken from: Government reported soil nutrient balances for the regions of England